This seemed to happen often enough that Daphne appeared unbothered. She seemed more annoyed about being interrupted mid-sentence.

“So?” she prompted.

“Well, um… even His Majesty can’t freely use magical artifacts right now. Recently, the nobles submitted a resolution to permanently close that storage facility.”

It was the result of desperate brainstorming to calm public anxiety as monster awakenings increased.

“It’s a stupid proposal, but it came from stupid nobles, so… it’s on the verge of passing. That’s why the Emperor can’t just take out what she needs whenever she wants.”

Daphne’s expression turned serious.

In her past life, that law had passed much later. The problem was that another law had passed simultaneously.

‘That shouldn’t be happening now!’

It was supposed to happen much later. Daphne, who had been feeling relaxed, felt cold sweat forming on her back.

‘Don’t panic. You can solve this.’

She closed her eyes, thinking deeply, then looked at Zenos standing awkwardly in front of her.

“Do you have money?”

“Huh? Y-yes, I do.”

He received more than enough research funding, plus his professor’s salary, and twice that amount in dignity maintenance funds from the family that arrived like clockwork. But being buried in his lab every day, he never had time to spend it.

“Lend me some. Better yet, just give it to me.”

“Don’t you have money?”

Zenos asked, thinking of the dignity maintenance funds he received each year. It was quite—no, extremely substantial. And from what he could see, his sister was very frugal.

If so, why would she need to borrow money? Especially from someone she disliked so much?

As if reading his thoughts, Daphne sighed.

“Surely you don’t think we receive the same amount?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Ludwig and you receive the most. Then Mother and the youngest get the same amount. What I receive isn’t even half of what you get.”

Zenos stared at her in disbelief.

He had been completely unaware of the discrimination his sister faced. No, he had actually misunderstood and resented her more, thinking Christine was secretly favoring her.

Daphne looked at the shocked Zenos with incredulity.

‘No wonder the family collapsed with someone like him as the head.’

Daphne snapped her fingers to regain his attention.

“Mother was concerned that if we mother-daughter pair received too much, people would gossip. But as a Marchioness, she has so many expenses. So she cut my portion while I was still young. And even as I grew older, she never increased it, saying frugality is a virtue.”

After a moment of silence, Zenos opened a drawer, took out a checkbook, and signed it without writing any amount.

“There should be plenty in the account, so use as much as you need.”

Daphne took the entire checkbook without bothering to say thank you. It had been worth listing all the discrimination and dismissal she had received from him.

Now she needed to leave before he came to his senses.

As Daphne moved toward the window, she reminded him once more.

“I just came to see you and then left. Nobody should know we met.”

Zenos nodded slowly.

As Daphne put her leg on the windowsill again, he hastily added:

“Daphne, um… if you need anything else, just tell me. I’ll definitely help.”

But Daphne answered without looking back.

“It won’t be helping—you’ll have no choice but to do it. Don’t resent me when that time comes.”

What did she mean by that…?

Zenos had a mountain of questions, but his light-bodied sister, swift as a swallow, had already slipped out the window.

“And don’t come home today.”

“Yeah, I already declined. Said I’m busy. Which is true anyway.”

“Good.”

After cautioning Zenos once more, Daphne leaped to the ground in an instant.

Zenos’s mouth fell open.

She wasn’t some adventure novel protagonist… When had his sister changed like this? Was she really his sister?

“The people who made it normal to mistreat me? That would be our family.”

Daphne’s voice and expression had been emotionless when she said that.

How accustomed to it she must have been…

Come to think of it, it had started from quite a young age.

‘That’s not Daphne’s fault.’

Just like himself, she hadn’t chosen her parents before birth. By the same logic, Christine wasn’t at fault either.

She had married as the king commanded, and after being widowed, her thoughts weren’t considered at all during Werner’s proposal.

She hadn’t committed adultery. It was the fault of those who pushed her so hard that the father of her child became unclear…

Zenos touched his bandaged wrist. When Kartun attacked him, if she hadn’t urgently intervened, he might have died. He could still vividly feel the k*lling intent Kartun had emitted then.

‘But she’s still family… she risked her life to stop him for my sake.’

For a while, Zenos couldn’t focus on his work. Then he thought of a way to atone for his long-standing wrongdoing.

‘I’ll make it first.’

He unfolded the design for a paternity test device.

Previously, he had planned to use it to reveal Daphne’s identity and strip her of the ‘Armin’ name. But he’d forgotten about it as work piled up.

Now, however, he needed it for the opposite reason.

‘To reveal Daphne’s identity—if she’s a biological daughter, restore her position, and if not…’

He wanted to apologize by burying the matter.

⁕⁕⁕

As Daphne was returning home, the carriage suddenly stopped.

The coachman hurriedly got down and approached the window.

“Miss, we have a serious problem. The trans-hook is broken, so I can’t drive the carriage.”

The startled maid asked:

“Trans… what is that?”

“It’s complicated to explain, but it’s an extremely important part. We can’t move without it.”

As the coachman made a fuss, even spraying spittle, the maid grew angry.

“We have a very important guest coming today. We absolutely cannot be late!”

Eventually, they decided to wait in the carriage until the coachman went into town to buy the part. He unhitched one of the two horses and mounted it.

“You must hurry back!” the maid urged several times.

After he left, Daphne got out of the carriage to examine the trans-hook.

“It’s broken.”

The critical component connecting the horse to the carriage showed clear signs of deliberate damage. Someone obviously wanted to prevent her from keeping today’s appointment.

“Oh my, is that it? You’re amazing, Miss. How do you know about such things?”

The maid’s eyes widened, not knowing that Daphne had learned basic carriage repair in her past life. The coachman would have been equally surprised.

‘That’s why they planned this so sloppily.’

Daphne tried to figure out who might be behind this, then squeezed her eyes shut.

‘Please, don’t let it be…’

Daphne looked alternately at the town where the coachman had disappeared and the road leading home.

‘Right in the middle.’

It was too far to walk.

The coachman would return only after the sun had completely set, making excuses about struggling to find the part.

With practiced skill, Daphne untied the remaining horse from the carriage.

“Oh my goodness, Miss. That’s dangerous!”

The maid tried to stop her in alarm, but Daphne had already mounted the horse.

“I’ll go ahead.”

“What?”

“It’s hot, so don’t stay in the carriage. Wait under that tree shade.”

Daphne pointed to a large oak tree with her chin and departed. The maid left behind stared blankly until the cloud of white dust disappeared.

“Let me get this straight. So…”

‘Our delicate, refined Miss’ knew about carriage parts, personally unhitched a horse, and then galloped away at full speed without a saddle.

The maid couldn’t comprehend what she’d just witnessed and stood there opening and closing her mouth before slowly walking to the tree.

“…It is cooler here. Our Miss is kind too.”

She cooled off while pondering how to explain this to the coachman when he returned.

⁕⁕⁕

When Daphne arrived home, it was absolute chaos.

People were polishing every window until they shone, and wagons had entered the front yard to unload food ingredients.

Daphne handed the horse to a servant who came out to greet her and asked:

“What’s all this about?”

He stared in surprise at Daphne dismounting from a saddleless horse before answering a beat late.

“Today’s gathering has been changed to a banquet. We’re preparing urgently.”

“A banquet?”

“Yes, Madam said so.”

So Zenos hadn’t been mistaken.

Daphne’s expression instantly turned cold.

“Where is Mother?”

“She’s in the banquet hall.”

Daphne headed there immediately.

Christine was sighing because she couldn’t find plates to her liking. Still, her face clearly showed excitement about hosting an esteemed guest.

Watching her, Daphne asked:

“Mother, what’s this about a banquet?”

“Oh my, you startled me!”

Christine jumped in shock. When she confirmed it was Daphne, her expression immediately turned dismayed.